by A Y Venona
“We’ve learned some,” Jason answered.
When Jason refused to elaborate his answer, Delvin shrugged and turned his back to them. Another of those doors they called elevator opened in front of them, and they entered. When the elevator door opened again, it was to a huge suite befitting a prince. Walking into the huge living room, they were immediately assaulted by a shrill voice of the boy calling his father, followed by footsteps running toward them. Jason sensed the growing uneasiness with his two companions. But they relaxed as soon as the boy Avian made it obvious that he was aiming to jump at his father and not to them. Delvin caught the boy in his arms and span him around.
At a corner, Jason saw another boy with golden curly hair hiding behind one of the columns in the room. He wondered why this one looked more timid and reserved, an exact opposite of this ball of energy who was now trying to intimidate both Aaron and Hearst with his stare. Delvin merely chuckled at this display.
“Avian, behave!” Daniel, Delvin’s spouse, called from the narrow hallway. Daniel strode toward the shy little boy hiding behind the column, picked him up and then walked toward them. He gave Delvin a kiss on the lips before he turned to us. “Hello again. This one is Ryan. Ryan say hello to Jason, Aaron and Hearst.”
“Hello,” Ryan said.
Jason was impressed that Daniel could remember their names.
“I’m honored to meet you, Ryan,” Jason said, touching his own forehead, a gesture of respect. His two companions followed his lead.
“I’m sure you’re all hungry. Dinner is already served in the dining hall,” Daniel said.
Jason was about to decline when both Aaron and Hearst responded with enthusiasm. And so they followed Daniel who was still carrying Ryan. Both Delvin and Avian took the rear.
It was a quiet dinner, but Jason couldn’t help observe that the young Avian liked to put food on Ryan’s plate. It was like he was the one making a decision on what his brother should eat. Jason raised his eyebrow at this dynamic.
“He wants to provide his brother with the best of the bunch. The best banana, the best piece of chicken, steak,” Daniel said smiling.
“Which are really all the same,” Delvin answered. “I already told him about it, but he’s operating under a belief that there’s always going to be the best in a group.”
“He looks so much like you,” Aaron said to Daniel.
“I think Avian gets Delvin’s looks.”
“I meant, Ryan.”
Daniel glanced at Delvin before saying, “Thank you. People said that a lot.”
After dinner, Delvin gave them a tour of the house, which concluded with them being led to their respective rooms. The two little boys were shadowing them the whole time.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Jason,” Delvin said.
“Thank you,” he said.
“You can come out now boys, it’s time for bed,” Delvin said.
His children emerged from hiding behind the column directly across from Jason’s room. Delvin gave them the best disappointing look he could muster but still came off amused. But when he started growling, feigning Jason could tell, his little boys sprinted into the other hallway, the one Daniel came out earlier. Delvin counted from five to zero before he began his chase.
Amused, Jason closed the door to his room.
✽✽✽
The next morning, Jason woke up feeling a presence nearby. He crawled out of his bed, his gaze swept the room. When all his senses were pointing him toward the door, he padded the soft-carpeted floor barefooted and opened the door.
Avian was standing there with his face defiant like he did not fear being caught spying on Jason. He was not about to scold the son of their host no matter how impudent the boy had been acting to them. But still he could try scaring him a little. But before he even made his attempt, Avian ran toward the side table and placed the vase on the floor. Jason knew what was coming but it was too late as Avian had already climbed on top of it.
“Get down there, Avian,” he said.
But Avian only put his hands on his waist. Jason playing along copied his action, but this seemed to irk the little boy. It was only when the boy glanced at a much higher table when Jason realized what the boy was doing.
“Okay, I get it. You want to be taller than me. No problem,” Jason said and sat on the floor with his knees-bent.
This triggered a smile on the boy.
“So, are you now much inclined to tell me why you’re spying on me?”
Avian brows knitted.
“Why do you talk like that?”
Jason cocked his head with a grin on his face. “All right, let me rephrase. How long had you been standing at the door before I opened it?”
“Not that long,” the boy answered.
“And why were you at my door?”
“I just wanted to check on you.”
“Because?”
Avian gazed at him with the same defiant look.
“C’mon, I’m not telling both of your fathers.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, I promised. But before that, can you get down now? I’m sitting down here while we talked.”
The boy looked like he was actually mentally measuring up whether or not he would still be taller without the extra boost of the table Jason struggled to keep his amusement from showing on his face because he knew this boy took everything serious. Looking satisfied, Avian climbed down and put his tiny feet on the floor and strode toward him. He gave Jason a devilish smile when he realized that he was, indeed, taller than Jason who was actually doing his best to appear short by hunching forward.
Little footsteps shifted Jason’s attention to his right to find Ryan staring at him with an actual smile on his face. This one seemed to like Jason better.
“Hey, little guy,” Jason said.
“He likes you,” Avian said.
“Avian, piece of advice, I think you should let your brother talk for himself more to build up his confidence.”
“Why? He orders me around all the time. He’s only shy when Daddy’s around.”
Jason’s forehead furrowed.
“Stop it, Avi,” Ryan said. The strength in his tiny voice surprised Jason. “Can I hug you?”
Well, this one surprised him the most. “Of course, sweetie. Come here.”
Ryan smiled and ran toward him. Jason had to brace himself for the impact that got him chuckling as he hugged the little boy tight.
“How’s that?”
“He’s trying to get you to his side,” Avian said.
“Avian, your brother is just friendly. Isn’t it?”
Ryan nodded while Avian huffed.
“Alright, do you want to stand right here? Your brother here has something to confess and I promised him I won’t tell your dads.”
“Papa and dad,” Ryan corrected.
“Yes, your papa and dad,” Jason said.
“Avi doesn’t like you,” Ryan said.
“I can see that. But why?”
Ryan leaned toward him and whispered. “Because you are his equal.”
Jason glanced at Avian whose face was now a mirror of annoyance. When his mouth poised to form into a full-on pout, Jason started panicking.
“I think you’re feeling threatened because we are of the same kind, Avian,” he said on his best conciliatory voice. “But it’s a good thing though, I will never ever cross your territory or provoke you or challenge you. We’re going to be allies, friends.”
The pout was gone on Avian’s face and the annoyance still lingered.
“You still smell,” he said.
“Not that smell again. How bad is it, really?” Jason said, a little annoyed himself.
“Not bad bad,” Avian said, frustrated. “You smell like…” His brows furrowed. “That’s it. You smelled like uncle Sander.”
Jason’s heart skipped a bit at the mention of the name. Sander. Like Xander Alexander?
“What did you say?”
“He like
s uncle Xander,” Ryan explained.
Jason stared at the two boys in wonder. What the heck did that even mean? He smelled like Alexander? Like…how a mate smells with the other mate? Like soul mates?
“Why do you look funny?” Avian said, looking sincerely concerned, which made Jason smile.
“Get a glass of water, Avi,” Ryan said.
Avian sprinted to the kitchen. This was such a rare sight—a shy brother ordering his alpha brother—that despite not recovering fully from the shock of his discovery, Jason gave a little chuckle. Avian returned with the glass of water. He gave it first to Ryan who gave it to Jason. Jason just shook his head. Did their fathers even know who really was the boss between their two kids?
“Are you close to Daddy?” Ryan asked by the time Jason emptied his glass.
“Not that close.”
“But daddy likes you.”
“He wanted you to challenge Riker,” Avian said.
Jason frowned. “How do you know all of this?”
Avian gave him a wry smile. “Because I listened to daddy’s talks.”
“Which you shouldn’t.” Jason faced Ryan. “And why do you want me to be a friend of your daddy?”
“I want you to tell him that I’m a good a kid.”
This tugged Jason’s heartstrings. He also noticed how Delvin seemed to favor Avian more than Ryan.
He cupped the little boy’s face with his hands and said, “Your daddy loves you too. And yes, I promised I’ll tell him you’re the best kid ever.”
This pulled a smile on Ryan’s face.
How could Delvin not love this boy when the boy was spitting image of his mate?
“He doesn’t like Ryan coz of his mama.”
Mama? Jason knew that a surrogate mother was used to provide children to two male couples. It was normal back in the island too. And having stayed longer in Midland, he knew that science now made it possible to raise the embryo inside a laboratory-made womb to forgo having a female to carry it. However way it was, Jason found it wrong to intervene in the family’s affair when he had his own to be concerned about.
Chapter 8
“Do you really want to be here when they arrive?” Terrence asked.
Xander’s family was all converged in the huge family room. Melo on the couch next to Terrence. His father Lawrence was seated across from them,sipping tea. He had emptied quite a couple of cups and showed no sign of slowing. His other father Hector was pacing right by the door as if the gods would use the mundane way of entering the premises.
“I want to be part of the discussion about me and my future.”
The palpable tension in the room threatened to grow into unbearable height. Thank the gods, literally, when the air suddenly thickened, thereby prompted everyone to move. Bright light started appearing, breaking the dimensional fiber to form a portal. A god passed through it. Another portal materialized and then another. Each providing a god a passage.
It did take long when the comings died down leaving five gods standing with them in the room. Melo introduced them to Xander one by one.
Janus had a braided red hair and a full goatee on his face. He eyed Xander as though he would disappear the second he blinked. He nodded when his name was called. Him standing at the center and in front of the other gods suggested his standing among them—the leader.
Thoth was standing next to Janus with his long dark raven hair. He too had a goatee, but it was just an inch wide and right on his chin. He smiled at Xande who responded with a nervous smile.
On the other side of Janus was Indra, clean-shaven and purple-colored eyes that stared at Xander with a deep frown on his forehead. He also had a strange-looking scarf around his neck that reminded Xander of the snake in Dionysus’s temple.
Next was Fu Xi with his long pointy beard and a red cape that rivaled that of Sara’s on its grandiosity. His gaze was discerning and calculating. Xander could easily see how this god saw him. Nothing but a means to his end.
And then Heimdal with his long white beard and silver hair that bore resemblance to Melo’s. Whereas Melo liked to hang his loose, this one had his hair tied in a ponytail. He actually looked friendly like a type of person who listened without judgment. But if there was one thing Xander learned from Lawrence, it was to never trust a god. And Xander learned it the hard way why it was so.
“Do you want your son to be present at our discussion, Hector?’ Janus said.
Hector turned to Xander to ask to which Xander answered, “I chose to stay and be involved in what you’re about to discuss about my life and future.”
“Brazen youth,” Indra remarked, his mouth curved into a half smile. Xander wondered if the god would describe him brazen if Xander would pull his scarf and cut it with his sword.
“I’m not going to tolerate you disrespecting my son,” Lawrence said. His father still did not offer them his tea.
“Are you all the Brunns like this?” Indra countered.
“Odin did not raise them actually. He died even before he met his grand children,” Fu Xi explained as though both Lawrence and Xander were not present.
“Are your visits all about disrespecting my family or are you here for something important?” Hector said.
“Please everybody, have a seat,” Melo chimed in.
Everybody moved to take a spot on four of the long couches in the room. Lawrence still did not offer them his tea. Xander was seated between his two fathers. Now that Xander was close to Lawrence, he could sense the tension emanating from him.
“Aren’t you going to offer us your best wine, Lawrence?” Janus asked.
Xander chuckled inwardly when his father just glared at Janus. He had never seen anyone who could react so impertinently like Lawrence. Between his two fathers, Lawrence was the more strict and disciplinarian. He had always questioned Xander’s choices and reprimanded him in almost everything. But whenever he needed someone to champion him, Lawrence was his fierce defender.
“Thanks to you, gods, we have a meager harvest this month,” Lawrence said, his voice icy.
Janus had the audacity to laugh it off. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m not the god of wine. You might want to check on him why he has been so neglectful.”
“Yes, I will when I meet him again. I’ll be sure to ask why the gods have been bullshitting us lately.”
Janus face darkened. But before he could say anything else, Hector interjected.
“Get on with your business. Unlike the gods, we are not so neglectful with our jobs.”
Janus’ gaze shifted to Xander. “I don’t care whether you love him or not, you’ll be mating Riker Ono next Friday unless you can bring with you your chosen mate.”
Amid the angry voices clashing, Xander stiffened, his face frozen in the state of disbelief. Why would the gods force him to mate?
“How could you?” Lawrence spat at Janus. “You have no right!”
“We have every right to force him to mate!” Janus spat back. “So you shut up!”
“You don’t tell Law to shut up,” Hector hollered.
“So what are you going to do with that, Hector? Send your werekin to me? They’re not going to listen to you because you’re not Fenrir!”
The last words reverberated in the room. Then there was pregnant silence.
“Too many of us died,” Janus said, breaking the silence. His gaze found Xander. “Fenrir died because you all hesitated to kill a titan.”
Fenrir was dead? Blood drained from Xander face.
“What are you talking about?”
“Shut up, Janus,” Lawrence muttered. “He didn’t know.”
“Oh, he did not know that his little titan friend killed four gods including Fenrir. He didn’t know that?”
Titan?
“Elian’s not a Titan. He was a young fae who was in love with Adrian. I will not allow you to further disrespect him even he’s dead!”
Janus stood up. When he advanced toward Xander, Hector blocked him.
&nb
sp; “No, you don’t.”
Janus’ face flushed in crimson. His eyes glowed bright.
“We have delivered our message, now it’s time for us to go,” Heimdal said from his end.
“Did the House of Zeus know about this plan of yours?” Melo asked.
Calmness returned on Janus’ face.
“They do. We all agree that this is the only way.”
“You’re bluffing,” Melo said. “Xander is Zeus’ kin. He will never allow you to hurt him.”
“What if I tell you, he has no other choice?” Janus said, his voice ominous. His gaze lingered on Xander for a little while before he moved away and stood in front of the portal. The gods went to theirs.
“The answer is no!” Xander said, suddenly finding his voice again. “You can’t make me mate if I don’t want to.”
Janus raised his brows. “Everyday that you refuse we will send a great calamity to the world you so love.”
“Aren’t you their gods? Why are you doing this to them?”
“Why?” Janus turned to Melo. “Your nephew, Melo, just asked me why. Care to explain it to him?”
“I don’t have to,” Melo answered.
“Oh, well, young Xander, because I’m tired of waiting. I’m not going to just sleep in my chamber and wait for the next Ragnarok, and another. I want to leave this hellhole and go home. But I can’t do that. You know why? Because your family ruined the only ride we have.” Janus eyes narrowed on Xander. “Now, you need to fix it.”
With his final words, Janus stepped into the portal and disappeared. It took only a few seconds before all the gods left, teleported to their respective temples.
Xander tilted his head upward like he was asking for another god, another one who could help me. Why were they forcing their will upon him?
“Why me?’ he asked his parents.
“Because of Apollo,” Melo answered. “And because of me.”
It was a revelation that brought nothing but confusion to Xander, but surprised him, what made his frown deepen was the look of surprise on the faces of both his parents and Terrence.